The Septuagint

by Jennifer Dines

Overview

Jennifer Dines provides an introductory survey of current scholarship on the Greek Bible - the Septuagint. She outlines its origins in the third to first centuries BCE, going on to trace its subsequent history to the fifth century CE. The Septuagint's relationship with the standard Hebrew text and its translational characteristics are examined, as is its value as a collection with its own literary and exegetical character. The Septuagint is shown to be an important source for biblical studies (both Old and New Testament), to make a distinctive contribution to the history of biblical interpretation, and to be of considerable interest for understanding the early development of both Judaism and Christianity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780567084644
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/08/2004
Series:	Understanding the Bible and Its World
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	834,126
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.46(d)

About the Author

Jennifer Dines is Research Associate in the AHRB Parkes Centre Project, "The Greek Bible in the Graeco-Roman World." She is also a member of the Strasburg-based team preparing the Amos volume of the 'Bible d'Alexandrie'.

Table of Contents

	Preface	ix
	Abbreviations	xiii
	Resources	xv
1.	What is 'the Septuagint'?	1
	Terminology	1
	Scope of the term in antiquity	2
	Scope of the term in contemporary usage: 'Septuagint' and/or 'Old Greek'	2
	Primary sources: manuscripts and editions	3
	The earliest Jewish manuscripts	4
	The earliest Christian manuscripts	6
	Printed editions	7
	Secondary sources: the Christian versions	9
	The Old Latin	10
	The Coptic	11
	The content of the Septuagint	11
	Differences between Hebrew and Greek order	12
	The individual books of the Septuagint	13
	The Pentateuch	14
	The historical books	16
	The sapiential books	19
	The prophetic books	21
	Summary	24
	Further reading	24
2.	Origins: Facts and Fictions	27
	Introduction	27
	The Letter of Aristeas	28
	Outline of content	28
	Relevance to the Septuagint	30
	Aristobulus	33
	Sources	33
	Aristobulus on the Septuagint	34
	Earlier versions of the Septuagint?	35
	Relationship between Aristobulus and The Letter of Aristeas	35
	Aristobulus in context	37
	Further reading	39
3.	Origins: Questions and Issues	41
	Dating, location and purpose	41
	The translation of the Pentateuch	41
	The translation of the Prophets and the Writings	45
	The Septuagint as a whole: theories and questions	47
	The 'texts for worship' hypothesis	47
	The 'texts for study' hypothesis	51
	The question of the Septuagint	60
	Further reading	61
4.	The Status of the Septuagint: from Philo to Jerome	63
	Introduction	63
	Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 bce - c. 50 ce)	64
	Philo on the making of the Septuagint	64
	Special features in Philo's account	65
	Philo on the 'inspiration' of the Septuagint	67
	A defence of the Septuagint against accusations of inaccuracy?	69
	Josephus (37 - c. 100 ce)	71
	Continuation of the Septuagint legends in Judaism	72
	Rabbinic sources and the Septuagint	73
	Continuation of the Septuagint legends in Christianity	75
	The defence of the Septuagint	75
	The Septuagint and Jewish alternatives	77
	Augustine and Jerome	77
	Further reading	79
5.	Textual Developments to the Fifth Century CE	81
	The Jewish versions	81
	The kaige revision	81
	'Theodotion'	84
	Aquila	87
	Symmachus	89
	Other Jewish versions	90
	Christian use of the versions	92
	The Christian recensions	93
	The 'Hesychian Recension'	94
	The Hexaplaric Recension	95
	The Lucianic (Antiochian) Recension	103
	Further reading	106
6.	Language and Style	109
	Introduction	109
	The Septuagint and Koine Greek	110
	The Septuagint's first readers	115
	Summary	117
	Translation technique	117
	'Literal' and 'free' translations	119
	Conclusion	128
	Further reading	129
7.	The Use of the Septuagint: from the Beginnings to the Present Day	131
	Septuagint and Masoretic Text: interpreting the differences	131
	Identifying distinctive theological elements	131
	Jewish and Christian reception history	135
	Early Jewish interpretation	136
	Hellenistic Jewish authors	137
	Apocrypha and pseudepigrapha	138
	Philo and Josephus	140
	Early Christian interpretation	142
	Influence of the Septuagint on New Testament interpretation	142
	Patristic use of the Septuagint	145
	The influence of the Septuagint on biblical interpretation	147
	Issues in the patristic use of the Septuagint	149
	Modern interest in the LXX	151
	The Septuagint and textual criticism	151
	Modern translations	152
	The Septuagint as Christian Scripture	154
	The Septuagint as Jewish Scripture	154
	The Septuagint and Hellenistic culture	155
	Further reading	156
	Bibliography	159
	Index of References	177
	Index of Authors	183
	General Index	187

Editorial Reviews

'Dines is to be congratulated on producing a readable introduction to a complex field of study. Each chapter is followed by a page of further reading, which not only provides good advice on where to go next, it also acts as a guide to contemporary discussion. She is very even handed.' Steve Moyise, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 27.5--Sanford Lakoff "Journal for the Study of the New Testament "

'One of the primary benefits of Dine's book is that the arguments for each of the respective viewpoints are articulated fairly and objectively...Dine's book is especially useful in explaining difficulties arising in textual criticism of the LXX and understanding possible translation techniques...The Septuagint serves as a positive introduction to the issues of the LXX translation and origin, while being helpful in pointing towards area of further study.' Themelios, Vol 31, Issue 2, January 2006

--Sanford Lakoff "Themelios "

'This is a sure-footed, readable, user-friendly introduction to its subject.' John Goldingay, Theology--Sanford Lakoff "Theology "

'If you are looking for a comprehensive introduction to the Septuagint, this book is just that. It guides the reader around all of the basic issues of the formation and interpretation of that text...Dines guides the reader through the subjects with enormous clarity...layout also makes consultation the text on specific subjects a quick and painless exercise. Dines writing is very readable, making the process of understanding a fairly complicated subject relatively pleasureable...It is also concise, in that she explains a great deal quite clearly in little space...an excellent introduction to the Septuagint and guide to modern study of that text...For the serious student of biblical studies and for anyone involved in research on biblical texts at a postgraduate level, this book is a must-have. Reading it will give a good grounding in the area, and it is a great little volume to have on the shelves to consult.'--Andy Angel, ANVIL, Volume 22, Number 4 "Anvil "

The Septuagint or early Greek translation of the Old Testament has lacked a good, current introduction until recently. The strength of Dr. Dines s introduction is its thoroughness, compactness, and readability. The user-friendly layout, with sub-headings and sections clearly indicated, and the detailed table of contents and indexes all make this an easy volume to read and also to consult and refer to for the answer to specific questions. It has one of the most comprehensive discussions on Septuagint origins that I have seen. The treatment of topics, even the controversial ones, is balanced and judicious. I do not believe the student can do better for a guide to the Septuagint, and working biblical scholars and even Septuagint specialists will also want it on their bookshelf. Lester L. Grabbe, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism, University of Hull--Lester L. Grabbe

'An accessible but scholarly handbook on the Greek translation of the Bible, complete with a chapter on the use of the LXX in exegesis, bibliography and indexes. Bery informative and up to date.' Taken from review in International Review of Biblical Studies, Vol. 51:2004/05

"The Septuagint or early Greek translation of the Old Testament has lacked a good, current introduction until recently. The strength of Dr. Dines's introduction is its thoroughness, compactness, and readability. The user-friendly layout, with sub-headings and sections clearly indicated, and the detailed table of contents and indexes all make this an easy volume to read and also to consult and refer to for the answer to specific questions. It has one of the most comprehensive discussions on Septuagint origins that I have seen. The treatment of topics, even the controversial ones, is balanced and judicious. I do not believe the student can do better for a guide to the Septuagint, and working biblical scholars and even Septuagint specialists will also want it on their bookshelf."

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